Honest John

I thought I'd post a little more music from Jah Wobble's enormous back catalogue in celebration of the release of his autobiography: Memoirs of a Geezer.

I anticipate reading it with even more excitement than reading Ozzy Osbourne's recent confessional.
And for a rock autobiography it has received good reviews, making it a truly essential purchase.

So firstly let's journey back to 1983 for a collaborative recording from Wobble, The Edge and Holger Czukay with the mini-LP release Snake Charmer.

The title track very much reflects the time in which it was made; an example from the early days of electonica based dance music; a time still suffering from the lasting effects of the doings of Trevor Horn and the sounds emanating from his Perfect Sounds stable.

'It Was a Camel' and 'Sleazy' (undoubtedly the best track. A jam really, with the band stripped right back to a trio, creating enough space to allow Mr. Wobble to reveal his bass chops) probably represent best where Wobble was going with his music, although he was yet to fall into bed with ambient dub and find inspiration in world music.

Jah Wobble, The Edge & Holger Czukay - Snake Charmer (1983)

Snake Charmer
Hold On To Your Dreams
It Was a Camel
Sleazy
Snake Charmer (reprise)

Excellent vinyl rip @320kbs
Charm yourself here
My other offering comes from December 1991; an Andy (remember him?) Kershaw session broadcast by the BBC.

Here the Invaders of the Heart are in full flight; Animal has been replaced by the idiosyncratic Justin Adams, and the band rely heavily on Arabic and North African rhythms and textures.
Wobble has found his distinctive bass sound, and he's much more bold and adventurous in what he's doing.

If the earlier recording revealed an artist searching for a niche, this session proved that over the following eight years Wobble had dug in deep, finding his muse in the very Earth.

Invaders of the Heart - BBC Radio Session for Andy Kershaw (1991)

Emigrate
Moroccan
Saeta

Excellent cassette rip @320kbs
Ululate along with this here